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Report: Leeds in pursuit of 23-y/o top-flight defender

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Leeds United are one of interested in signing Brazilian defender Lyanco from Serie A side Torino, a report from a print edition of Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, via Sport Witness, has claimed.

Lyanco only made 18 appearances during an injury-hit campaign with Torino last season, but it seems he was still able to attract plenty of attention from elsewhere.

According to the latest reports, Sporting Lisbon have seen a €5million bid for 60% of the player’s rights, with Torino thought to be demanding €10million for the full sale of the player.

Torino’s stance is apparently due to the fact that there are other clubs who they believe can afford to pay them the full €10million fee for the player.

One of those clubs who is touted as a potential suitor for Lyanco is Leeds, with French outfit Lille and Torino’s Serie A rivals Bologna – where he spent the second half of the 2018/19 campaign on loan – also credited with an interest in the 23-year-old.

Leeds will be on the lookout for a possible new centre back, with the future of Ben White still uncertain following the expiration of his loan deal at Elland Road.

Lyanco’s top-flight pedigree does suggest he could be a useful asset for Bielsa’s side next season, although there is likely to be some concerns about his injury record over the course of the past campaign.

Indeed, with Torino thought to be keen to make a profit on the €7million they paid Sao Paulo for the defender in 2017, this may not be a particularly cheap deal to complete, meaning they will have to tread rather carefully here.

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